NJAC County Biz

An Educational and Informative Newsletter for Counties and Businesses

New Jersey Association of Counties ISSUE 52 - AUGUST 2015

Camden County’s Board of Social Services Pioneers a Solution to Serve Those Most in Need by Andy Pitman, Director of Business Development - Public Sector Industry Solutions for Microsoft

The Camden County Board of Social Services in New Jersey is turning the stereotype of government inefficiencies and squandering of tax payer dollars on its head.

Here’s how: During the recession that started in 2008, Camden County’s Board of Social Services (BSS) experienced a huge spike in demand for services, with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) alone seeing a threefold increase in applications for food stamps. Meanwhile, the recession squeezed the county budget, spurring the agency to downsize its workforce by more than a hundred people. Under the best of circumstances, the BSS’s mission is a tall order. Its charter is to provide more than three-quarters of a billion dollars’ worth of services to more than 100,000 citizens across 37 municipalities. Outdated and fragmented technology had hampered the agency’s workers for some time, but the recession made their jobs even harder. Over the years, each department had put into place a number of custom-built solutions that made it impossible for staff to share information or access the same records as their colleagues in other agency departments. A client seeking assistance, for example, might apply for food stamps in one office and then be ushered down the hall to apply for Medicaid. Clients often had to wait as many as three months for an appointment with an in-take officer and then another three months to receive benefits. “It is unacceptable for someone in need to wait six months for assistance,” says Jim Rhodes, the Chair of the BSS Board of Directors. “We needed to totally transform the business of our agency.” Instead of relying on a system that bounced clients between departments, Rhodes said they wanted to create a people-centered approach that attached information and services to the client no matter where he or she went in the agency—what some in the industry are calling a “no wrong door” approach to human services. This way, clients can access services from any point of entry, allowing them to more easily navigate what might otherwise seem to be an inaccessible and unaccommodating bureaucracy. “Our goal is to treat our clients with the respect they deserve and connect them with the services they need,” says Rhodes.

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INSIDE THIS EDITION:

Pg. 1 A Solution to Serve Those Most in Need

Pg. 2 Get to Know Your County Official

Pg. 3 ACA Year-End Reporting

Pg. 5 New Jersey Business Summit

Pg. 6 Back-to-School Blues

Pg. 7 Verizon a Real Lifesaver

Pg. 8 PS&S Expands in Cherry Hill

Pg. 9 Global Access to Healthcare Meeting

Pg. 10 A Top Fiber-to-the-Home Company

0Pg. 11 A $9M Bond Series

Pg. 12 Sustainable Jersey

Pg. 12 Free Right Tree - Right Place

Pg. 13 County Job Vacancy Announcements

Pg. 14 Cowtown Rodeo

Pg. 15 Unwanted Overtime Attention

Pg. 15 New NJAC Business Associates

Pg. 16 Nationwide Economics

Pg. 17 Upcoming NJAC Events

Pg. 18 NACo News

Pg. 19 From the Executive Director

Pg. 20 What’s Happening in Your County

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Get to know your County Official…..

How many years have you served as Morris County Administrator? I have served as Morris County Administrator for the past 10 years, being appointed in December of 2004. What was the first public position you held? In January of 1990, I was named the Assistant Director of Operations within Morris County’s Department of Human Services. Why did you choose to apply for County Administrator? I decided to apply for the position of county administrator after the former long serving County Administrator Jim Rosenberg decided to retire. Since 1990, I was so very fortunate to have had the unique opportunity to work closely with both Jim Rosenberg and his predecessor Fred Rossi. On a consistent basis I watched and learned as each of these gentlemen demonstrated how much could be accomplished through the professional execution of the duties of county administrator.

What had been the most difficult decision you have had to make while serving as Morris County Administrator? I believe the most difficult decisions that I had to make occurred during Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy. The emerging needs of those significant weather-related events expanded far beyond simply rain and wind issues and into very real human needs. County government response required an ongoing laser-type focus that prioritized action items, and we had the difficult task of making our local, state and community partners know that not all of their needs could be met. What would our readers be most surprised to learn about you? I remain a youngster at heart and have a fondness for antique fire apparatus and firefighter parades, no doubt bestowed upon me by my late father. Some of the greatest father and son moments we shared were at such events. Who is your role model? Without question the most significant role models in my life include my parents and my grandfather. They instilled upon me the importance of being resourceful, always seeking opportunities to improve, and developing and maintaining a strong set of core values. What do you love about Morris County?

What I love about Morris County is the environment of collaboration and partnership that exists between government, non-profit, profit, community, and faith based entities. Here in Morris County little if any importance is paid to who gets the credit but rather everyone shares in each success.

John B. Bonanni Administrator

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Camden County’s Board of Social Services Pioneers a Solution to Serve Those Most in Need (continued)

To turn around the agency, BSS leadership decided to make the bold move of deploying Microsoft Dynamics CRM, a customer management solution, and Office 365, technologies known to many as private-sector solutions. As Microsoft partner McGladrey began implementation, the agency immediately saw the benefits of a single, unified system. BSS workers can now easily track clients across departments, manage cases faster, and provide more personalized care, all while increasing workflow efficiency and reducing cost per case. Microsoft Dynamics CRM provides a holistic view of a client, capturing all touch points with agency staff and facilitating information-sharing both within the agency and with other counties and states as needed. Because many business processes are now automated, a worker can help a client apply for any number of different services with one generic interview, dramatically accelerating the delivery of those services. “From the executive level, Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Office 365 help us make decisions based on facts as opposed to anecdotes or the fire that needs to be put out that day,” says Shawn Sheekey, Director, Camden County Board of Social Services. “What once was a fragmented agency is now becoming a lean, mean machine.” By streamlining and modernizing their operations much like a for-profit business, Camden County BSS can better serve citizens. Publicly elected NJ Freeholder and liaison to the BSS, Carmen Rodriguez enthusiastically backed the move. She says, “Through the implementation of Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Office 365, the agency can more efficiently provide services to our county’s most needy citizens and do so with fewer taxpayer resources. Board workers are now conducting initial interviews of clients on the same day clients first come in, something not possible only a few months ago.” Download a trial of Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for Government online, or send your questions to Carrie Griffiths, Account Executive, at carriest@microsoft.com.

Affordable Care Act Year-end Reporting. . . Not a Year-end Project! by Victor Scire, Vice President of Marketing for Primepoint HRMS & Payroll

It’s summertime and we’re not thinking about the fact that W2s need to be filed at the end of January. So why should we be thinking about filing the new IRS form 1095C to comply with the Affordable Care Act (ACA)? The fact is, your payroll system is collecting and organizing data every pay period in preparation for the production and filing of W2s, even during these lazy days of summer. You should have a system in place now that is compiling and organizing data to enable the filing of Affordable Care Act year-end reporting. ACA’s 2015 year-end reports - forms 1094C and 1095C - are not forms that can just be completed as a year-end project. The forms to be filed in early 2016 report on activity that took place during the entire year of 2015, starting with January. If your municipality has less than 50 full-time equivalent employees… enjoy the summer! However, if your organization is an Applicable Large Employer (ALE) with 50 or more full-time equivalent employees, you have some extra work to do, and you should start as soon as possible.

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Affordable Care Act Year-end Reporting. . .Not a Year-end Project! (continued) There is an exception for the municipality with less than 50 full-time equivalents that offers a self-insured health plan; those organizations also need to file forms 1094C and 1095C. Some municipalities may think complying with ACA and then preparing year-end reporting will be easy because they already offer health benefits to most employees. Not really. If you review the information that is required for form 1095C you’ll notice that you need to have information about when employees were offered benefits and whether or not benefits were accepted or waived by the employee. If they do waive benefits, be sure to keep a record of it, in writing, signed by the employee. You’ll need to indicate how much the employee would need to contribute to enroll in the “lowest-cost minimum value health plan.” For NJ Municipalities this is no simple task when you factor in the variables created by Chapter 78. If your health plan is self-funded, you’ll need to collect employee dependant data to be included in the form. On the compliance side of the process (which by the way is the more important issue because the IRS forms are a report of whether or not you complied) things get more complicated. And again, it may seem that because your municipality offers benefits to most employees that compliance is not an issue, however your municipality most likely employs people who are not offered health benefits. How will you know when, and if, those employees become benefit eligible under ACA? Do you want to ensure that your municipality isn’t required to offer health benefits to employees that normally do not receive health benefits? To ensure ACA compliance when it comes to these employees you need to carefully monitor their hours worked and react accordingly, which may be to either limit their hours or offer them health benefits.

Also, you may think that you don’t need to issue a form 1095C to employees that don’t receive health benefits. Wrong again. Those employees that don’t work enough hours throughout their measurement period to become benefits eligible may work more than 130 hours in some month during the year, and therefore you will be required to issue a form

1095C for that employee. You need to be tracking employee hours worked now and review records for every month back to January 2015. If you haven’t already begun to prepare for ACA’s year-end reporting requirement, talk with your HR professional, benefit broker, and payroll provider. You will need help from each of them to meet ACA’s compliance and reporting requirements. The penalties for not filing have just been increased and are severe, but that’s a topic for another article. About Primepoint: Primepoint is a human resource and payroll management company specializing in NJ government and offering advanced cloud based technology that integrates human resource, payroll, time & attendance, and Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliance & reporting functionality. Primepoint also offers its ACA compliance & reporting functionality as a standalone system to non-payroll customers. http://www.primepoint.com

You may contact Victor Scire at 609-668-6441 or vscire@primepoint.com.

The New Jersey Business Summit: A Time for Action

Borgata Hotel, Atlantic City | Sept. 17 & 18, 2015

Join our fellow members and business executives from across New Jersey for a first-of-its-kind summit at the Borgata

Hotel in Atlantic City on September 17-18. The goal of the Summit will be to look at key issues that New Jersey leaders

need to address in order to increase the state’s positive economic momentum and improve our competitiveness.

This two day Summit will feature an unprecedented collaboration of many of the state’s chambers of commerce, business

trade associations, representatives of the Christies administration and state legislature, not-for-profits, labor, higher

education, local government officials, and other interested parties.

Day One (September 17) We will discuss specific recommendations for solving the state’s top economic issues.

Day Two (September 18) We will formulate a plan of action to present tot state government leaders.

Key Issues For the past few months, chambers of commerce from across the state have been surveying their members to determine

the most pressing issues hampering New Jersey’s economic growth.

We will discuss the most frequently cited issues at the summit. They are:

Reform the state’s tax structure

Reduce state government regulations/mandates

Fund state transportation/infrastructure projects

Maintain a highly trained and ready workforce in New Jersey

Time will be allotted to discuss other important issues as well. A more detailed agenda will follow shortly.

This is a great opportunity for the business community to do something it has not done in a very long time - speak with

one unified voice to state government officials we believe are ready to listen.

Join us.

Registration is $50. Registration provides you access to the entire event including meals and receptions.

REGISTERING FOR THE EVENT DOES NOT INCLUDE HOTEL ROOM.

We have negotiated a special $99 rate at the Borgata for the night of September 17. You must reserve your room directly with the

Borgata. There is a limited number of rooms available at this special rate. Contact the Borgata at 609-317-1000 and use group code

GBATC15.

Register at njchamber.com/eweb

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Back-to-School Blues

New Jersey psychologists offer tips to help parents and kids prepare Parents have a lot on their plate: housing costs, healthcare, caring for elderly parents, raising kids, just to name a few. As the new school year approaches, they face additional stressors — paying for back-to-school supplies, clothes and possibly tuition. Many parents may also be worried about their children starting a new school, changing school districts, facing a more rigorous academic year or dealing with difficult social situations. Often the fear of the unknown — classmates, teachers, the school building — is the most stressful for family members, whether it’s the children hopping on the school bus or their parents who have to wave goodbye.

“Contrary to the pleasure many of us feel when the school year comes to a close and summer is on the horizon, the approaching new school year can be filled with mixed emotions. Some parents will revel at the prospect of school starting up again, while others may be wary or even depressed that the summer has come to a close and a new academic year is closing in. These same feelings can also be mirrored by our children,” states Lynn Shiller, PhD, chair of the NJPA Public Education Committee. Fortunately, children are extremely capable of coping with change and parents can help them in the process by providing a setting that fosters resilience and encourages them to share and express their feelings about returning to school. Before school starts, New Jersey psychologists offer suggestions to help parents and kids prepare: Practice the first day of school routine: Getting into a sleep routine before the first week of school will aide in easing the shock of waking up early. Organizing things at home - backpack, binder, lunchbox or cafeteria money - will help make the first morning go smoothly. Having healthy, yet kid-friendly lunches will help keep them energized throughout the day. Also, walking through the building and visiting your child’s locker and classroom will help ease anxiety of the unknown. Get to know your neighbors: If your child is starting a new school, walk around the block and get to know the neighborhood children. Try and set up a play date, or, for an older child, find out where neighborhood kids might go to safely hang out, like the community pool, recreation center or park. Talk to your child: Asking children about their fears or worries about going back to school will help them share their burden. Inquire as to what they liked about their previous school or grade and see how those positives can be incorporated into their new experience. Empathize with your children: Change can be difficult, but also exciting. Let your children know that you are aware of what they’re going through and that you will be there to help them in the process. Nerves are normal, but highlight that not everything that is different is necessarily bad. It is important to encourage children to face their fears instead of falling in to the trap of encouraging avoidance.

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Back-to-School Blues (continued) Get involved and ask for help: Knowledge of the school and the community will better equip parents to understand their child’s surroundings and the transition he or she is undergoing. Meeting members of the community and school will foster support for both parent and child. If parents feel the stress of the school year is too much to handle, seeking expert advice from a licensed psychologist, can help them better manage and cope. Dr. Schiller adds, “If you or your child seems to be experiencing heightened anxiety or worry related to the approaching school year, it may be time to enlist professional help. Even a few visits to a psychologist or licensed mental health professional can help allay fears, minimize anxiety, and help prepare for upcoming challenges.” To learn more about mind/body health, visit the American Psychological Association at www.apa.org/helpcenter and follow @APAHelpCenter. To find out more about the New Jersey Psychological Association, visit www.psychologynj.org and follow @njpsychassn. You may also contact Keira Boertzel-Smith, JD, Executive Director at njpakbs@psychologynj.org or Christine Gurriere, Communications Manager, at njpacg@psychologynj.org. Both may be reached at (973) 243-9800. Follow us on Twitter @njpsychassn, like us on Facebook, connect with us on LinkedIn, and subscribe to our quarterly

newsletter!

Verizon is a “Real Lifesaver” for Family Displaced by Storm

When 85 mile-per-hour straight-line winds hit Gloucester County on June 23, power was quickly knocked out, as trees and homes throughout the area suffered heavy damage.

For Patricia McConnell of Gibbstown, it was the storm she will not soon forget, as it took seven days to restore power to her home, which also had suffered a burst pipe. She and her family spent a couple of days in a motel and slept at friends’ homes, as they eagerly awaited for power to be restored.

Nearly a week into the ordeal, McConnell was tired, frustrated and her electronic devices were drained of power. She had read on the Gibbstown Facebook page that a Verizon charging station was

available at the Red Cross Reception Center at the Mount Royal Fire Department. On June 29, she arrived at the center to plug in two tablets and a smartphone to the charging station as two of her children, Aidan, 5, and Emily, 4, played cards nearby. It took only 30 minutes for the devices to be fully charged, she said, adding the Red Cross also provided the family with ice. “Verizon was a real lifesaver for us,” McConnell said. We were lucky to find that station. For more information regarding Verizon please contact John Szeliga, Verizon External Affairs at john.p.szeliga@verizon.com.

Patricia McConnell of Gibbstown was able to charge her devices on a Verizon charging station at a Red Cross Reception Center.

PS&S Expands in Cherry Hill by Andrew Hoffman, Media Contact for PS&S

Paulus, Sokolowski and Sartor (PS&S) today announced its continued expansion in Southern New Jersey with the addition of three Architects, formally of Moorestown-based Costanza Spector Clauser Architects (CSCA). CSCA specialized in providing architectural and interior design, project planning and graphics and rendering services with a concentration in the healthcare sector. Charles Clauser will be Senior Director of Architecture, Harry Wright and Stephen Sgro will both be Senior Architects, all in the Cherry Hill office.

“We are thrilled that Charles, Harry and Stephen will be joining the company," said John Sartor, Chief Executive Officer of PS&S. "In recognizing the importance of the healthcare industry, not only in New Jersey, but also the entire region, we are looking forward to adding their architectural expertise in that sector to our fully integrated offerings." CSCA was founded in 1960 as the practice of Joseph Costanza, Jr. Architect. The company has provided a vast array of architectural services – including architecture, interior design, and planning feasibility – to a wide variety of clients "This is an exciting time for us," said Mr. Clauser. "Combining our experience with the existing expertise at PS&S is going to amplify the architecture side of

the business – and coupling that with the technical engineering and design excellence is going to create tremendous opportunities." After attending Spring Garden College, Mr. Clauser served in the Navy on an aircraft carrier. Following his discharge, he attended Drexel University's Evening School of Architecture and became a registered architect in 1977. As a partner and President of CSCA, Mr. Clauser was responsible for the daily operations including business development and project scheduling. Mr. Wright graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture from Temple University in 1989 and became a registered architect in 2003. He is a former President of the West Jersey section of the American Institute of Architects. Mr. Wright served as Vice President of Studio Management at CSCA and was responsible for managing CAD production standards and protocols, production quality control, project management and software integration. Mr. Sgro studied at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, and obtained his Bachelor of Architecture from Temple University in 1991. He has been a registered architect since 1996 and a LEED accredited professional since 2009. Mr. Sgro was Vice President of Design Management at CSCA. He was responsible for design quality control, project management, firm IT, and business development including marketing, web presence and graphics. With his LEED certification, Steve guided the firm's sustainability responsibilities as well. "These three bring a combined 88 years of experience in the architecture industry," said Todd Heacock, Executive Vice President of the Building Group for PS&S. "Their in-depth knowledge and astute experience in the business is going to solidify our architecture practice." continued on page 9

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John Sartor Chief Executive Officer

PS&S Expands in Cherry Hill (continued)

"This is an exciting time at PS&S," added John Sartor. "By Labor Day, we will be doubling our office space in Cherry Hill which will allow us to serve the growing demand of the region. In addition to the boost in our architecture business, we are also growing our land practice group to include expanded services in our environmental, civil and survey offerings." Founded in 1962, Paulus, Sokolowski & Sartor(PS&S) has evolved into a unique best-in-class architecture and engineering (AE) firm, providing design and permitting services to a wide range of corporate, institutional and commercial clients. PS&S is ranked among the top national design firms by Engineering News Record (and among the top 15 national engineering firms in pharmaceuticals). Recognized both for its breadth of services and depth of expertise, it is a one-stop resource for planning, permitting and design at the local, State and Federal levels. Headquartered in Warren, New Jersey, PS&S is well-positioned to meet client needs through a series of regional offices and affiliates. In addition to our New Jersey offices in Cherry Hill, Newark, Wall, and Atlantic City, we also maintain regional offices in Hartford, Connecticut; Boston, Massachusetts; Yonkers and Garden City, New York; and Caguas, Puerto Rico. To learn more, please visit www.psands.com.

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MONOC Medical Director Brought to Dubai to Discuss Global Access to Healthcare by Scott A. Matin, Vice President for MONOC Mobile Health Services

Dr. Mark A. Merlin, System Medical Director of MONOC Mobile Health Services and Vice-Chairman/EMS Fellowship Director Newark Beth Israel Medical Center was recently brought to Dubai to discuss global access to healthcare. Dr. Merlin was one of 70 professionals from around the world selected by Shaffi Matter, attorney, entrepreneur and founder of India’s Emergency Medical System. According to Dr. Merlin, “over five billion people worldwide have no access to healthcare. If someone is in an accident, no ambulance or Emergency Medical Services System is available to take them to the hospital. This amazing meeting brought together physicians, information technology experts and business leaders to create a technology based global health network to provide access to healthcare.” Pictured next to Shaffi Mater is Eli Beer who is the President and Founder of United Hatzalah, Israel’s EMS System and founder of Hatzalah EMS in over 20 countries with an average ambulance response time of 90 seconds. If you are interested in more information please contact scott.matin@monoc.org or visit www.monoc.org.

Pictured above fourth from right: Dr. Mark Merlin

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Millennium Communications Group Inc. Named Top 100 FTTH Company for the Third Year in a Row by Millennium Communications Group

Millennium Communications Group Inc., a leader in implementing fiber-to-the-home networks and associated technologies, has been named one of Broadband Communities Magazine's Top 100 FTTH companies for the third year in a row! Broadband Communities Magazine declares its Top 100 “Leaders and innovators in the fiber-to-the-home arena.” Connectivity is no longer a luxury it is a necessity and Millennium Communications Group is here to help connect your community. "At the beginning of a game changing transformation, there's a vision. Millennium Communications Group has been fulfilling that vision with our customers for 20 years. When your FTTH project demands experts we're there" said Ron Cassel, Chief Executive Officer of Millennium. Among some of the FTTH clients are WiredWest Communications Cooperative Corporation, a large municipal communications cooperative of 44 towns in western Massachusetts. Other clients deploying FTTH include ECFiber, a multi-town cooperative in Vermont with a unique resident-funded business model, and the town of Leverett, Mass. Millennium has much experience in fiber to the home (FTTH) networks that are controlled, operated, and owned by your community. Understandably the price of building a private fiber network may leave you shaking your head, but once you see the return on investment along with the many other benefits of ownership, you might just change your mind. FTTH networks have been known to increase home values, business opportunity, attract and retain young adults, and increase job opportunity. Another alternative that requires much less investment and risk on the communities end, is having a private company build, own, and manage the network for you. The community will still be receiving the connectivity needed at a competitive price, but would not have to worry about funding the entire project and staffing someone full time to manage the network. The community can even take it one step further and have the private company build/own a network that connects several communities making the network and operation more cost efficient; less risk, for a lifetime of rewards Millennium provides advanced communication infrastructures utilizing integrated technology solutions across the public and private sectors. We offer broad IT solutions that combine fiber optic infrastructures with innovative networking equipment. Our solutions enhance business efficiency, reduce costs, secure data and improve your overall network. From planning to perfection, we are your single point of contact for endless possibilities. See all our services and solutions here or contact us at info@millenniuminc.com.

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Do you have educational or informational articles you

would like published in the NJAC COUNTY BIZ?

Contact Loren Wizman, Director of Business Development at

(609) 394-3467 or loren@njac.org

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MCIA Advances $9M Bond Series by Maria Prato, Public Information Officer for Middlesex County Improvement Authority

As a function of its capital equipment and improvement financing program, the Middlesex County Improvement Authority approved a $9-million bond series resolution at its monthly July 8 meeting. This annual program is a fundamental role of many Improvement Authorities across the state. It allows municipalities, school boards and even counties to participate in pooled financing for capital improvements and other purchases at a lower fixed bond rate than would typically be available. The MCIA’s 2015 program participants include Middlesex County, Carteret, Highland Park, Middlesex Borough, Monroe and Spotswood. In addition to making use of the Authority’s team of financial and legal experts, program participants are also backed by the County’s AAA bond rating, a Standard and Poor’s-designated ranking. Standard and Poor’s credits the County’s rating to a combination of factors, like a sturdy local economy, its adequate budgetary flexibility and performance and its strong liquidity and management. “The stable outlook reflects our view that Middlesex County is on a positive fiscal trajectory and in a strong position to build on reserves through positive operations,” stated a Standard and Poor’s report released in April. As in years past, participating communities benefit from their involvement in many ways to include: avoiding a down payment, having the ability to finance vehicles and capital projects that are exempt from local bond law and capitalizing on the economies of scale. Some of the 2015 purchases and projects include:

Law Enforcement Vehicles

Television Studio Equipment

Security Surveillance Cameras

Computer Equipment, Hardware and Software

Protective Turnout Gear

9-1-1 System Upgrades

A Fire Apparatus

A Building Generator

Roadwork For a quarter of a century - the span of its capital finance program - the MCIA has helped the County’s municipalities procure more than $244 million in bonding for vital purchases. “This program provides our participants with greater purchasing power,” said Freeholder Deputy Director Carol Bellante, who serves as the liaison to the MCIA board. “Since we are able to offer these lower interest rates, there are ultimately savings passed along to the local tax payers.” For more information regarding the Middlesex County Improvement Authority please contact Maria Prato, Public Information Officer, at mp@miciauth.com.

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Upcoming Sustainable Jersey Events by Winnie Fatton, Project Manager for the Sustainable Institute at the College of New Jersey

Join us for the Sustainable Jersey Luncheon at the 2015 NJ League of Municipalities Conference

Tuesday, November 17

SUSTAINABLE JERSEY ANNUAL LUNCHEON: Crown Ballroom, Sheraton Hotel, Atlantic City, NJ Join us for Sustainable Jersey's Annual Luncheon--the premier celebration for New Jersey’s sustainability community. HIGHLIGHTS:

Pre-Luncheon Networking Session (10:30 – 11:30 am); Luncheon and Ceremony (12:00-2:00 pm)

NEW! Special performance from the musical comedy: Gabi Goes Green by Barry Wyner and Daniel Israel commissioned by the George Street Playhouse Recognition of the 2015 Sustainable Jersey Certified Communities; Conveyance of Special Awards

REGISTER online $35.00 for Municipalities and Green Team Members and $75.00 for all others

For detailed information on both the luncheon and ALL upcoming Sustainable Jersey trainings, visit our website at www.sustainablejersey.com and click on Events and Trainings

Free Right Tree-Right Place Seminar for Gloucester, Camden, and Burlington Counties

The New Jersey Tree Foundation and PSE&G are offering a free seminar on September 9th on planting the right tree in the right place, the right way in a post-Superstorm Sandy world. Topics include:

Planting the right tree, in the right place, the right way

The importance of utility mark-outs prior to planting; *Emerald ash borer-It’s here!

Vegetation management policies to ensure the safe and reliable delivery of electric service. The seminar will take place at PSE&G’s Southern Division located at:

300 New Albany Road in Moorestown, NJ. Registration begins at 9 a.m. The program starts promptly at 9:30 a.m. and runs until 11:45 a.m. The seminar is open to all but space is limited. Please RSVP by Friday, September 4th, by emailing Lisa Simms at njtf1@juno.com.

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JOB VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Burlington County has an opening for a Risk Manager, and is seeking an experienced professional to plan, develop, evaluate, and recommend policies, regulations, and operational procedures pertaining to the County's risk management program, including the areas of worker’s compensation, employee safety, property and liability, and other specialized insurance programs. In addition to excellent leadership, management, analytical and writing skills, the Risk Manager is expected to identify the County’s exposure to loss and determine techniques to handle these exposures in a fiscally responsible manner. The Risk Manager will maintain solid working relationships with diverse stakeholders, and exhibit knowledge and experience in the Public Sector (preferred) with familiarity of shared services, third party administration, planning, budgeting, performance measurement and reporting required. A minimum of five years’ experience in the field of Risk Management, commercial insurance and self-insurance policies and practices is preferred.

Interested candidates should submit their resume and cover letter to the attention of: Dr. Patricia Brining Burlington County HR Director 49 Rancocas Road Mount Holly, NJ 08060 Or email: jobs@co.burlington.nj.us The County of Hunterdon has an opening for an Economic Development Director, and is seeking an individual to direct, implement and prioritize the economic development initiatives to achieve the goals and objectives outlined by the County’s economic development strategy (CEDS) and guided by the Board of Chosen Freeholders. Essential duties include the ability to establish and maintain a strong working relationship with all economic development partners, the business community, municipal government and the public. Identify, coordinate and measure efforts of private sector and municipal partnerships towards business attraction and retention; infrastructure development and coordination; transportation; municipal outreach; education; and tourism. County seeks candidate with initiative and proven communication and problem solving skills and a demonstrated ability to work with a wide variety of stakeholders, including Federal, State, County and local agencies and members of the private sector. Ideal candidate will have the ability to think and act strategically. High energy, enthusiasm and passion are a must for this position. Must have a proven track record in managing projects from initial development to implementation. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A Bachelor’s Degree in public administration, planning or a directly related field; Master’s Degree Preferred. Minimum of five years’ experience in community planning and development in a County, Municipal and/or rural environment; or any equivalent combination of experience that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform this work. Interested applicants may submit resume with cover letter, including salary requirements to personnel@co.hunterdon.nj.us

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Unwanted Overtime Attention by Jennifer Dowd, Marketing Manager for Kronos Public Sector

The local media loves to cover stories on overtime issues in county government; we see it almost every day. While there’s good overtime and bad overtime, it’s not easy for the public to understand the difference when the news would rather sensationalize misuse of taxpayers’ dollars. In reality, though it’s not the overtime costs that are concerning for government officials, but rather the inability to easily access the labor data to analyze what was happening. Imagine your county is in the spotlight for excessive overtime, but the data is stored on various documents leaving you vulnerable to hearsay until you can sift through and determine the root cause. And don’t forget about the resource that needs to devote hours or even days to literally piece it together. Even then its accuracy can be debatable. Tracking labor through a centralized system gives you instant visibility into trends and patterns of abuse. This can be delivered in real-time with dashboards and alerts for proactive overtime management. And gives you an opportunity to correct bad behavior before it gets out of hand. At the very least, it provides an indisputable audit trail that can help you get to the bottom of issues quickly. Getting a handle on overtime costs and having visibility into the entire county’s labor data is something most government executives are striving to achieve. A reactive approach to situations as they arise should give way to a proactive strategy that provides positive transparency. Media attention for the right reasons will put executives and elected officials back in control of citizen’s perception of budgets.

To learn more about Kronos, please contact Wesley Witherington, Kronos Sales Executive State of New Jersey, Public Sector and Education, at wesley.witherington@kronos.com or via telephone at (973) 331-5465.

WWWELCOMEELCOMEELCOME TTTOOO OOOURURUR NNNEWEWEW MMMEMBERSEMBERSEMBERS Crossroads of the American Revolution is a nonprofit whose mission is to connect the people and places of New Jersey’s rich Revolutionary heritage to inspire community pride, stewardship and civic engagement. To learn more please visit www.revolutionarynj.org or contact Debbie Lynch, Development Director at dlynch@revolutionarynj.org.

Renovate America is leading the way in making homes and communities more energy and water efficient. We partner with cities and counties to provide innovative new financing solutions that deliver multiple benefits including energy savings, lower utility bills, reduced emissions, new jobs and increased property values. Our HERO Financing Program is the fastest growing energy efficiency solution in the country. To learn more please contact John Law at jlaw@renovateamerica.com.

NJAC COUNTY BIZ ISSUE 52 - AUGUST 2015

Nationwide Economics Weekly Economic Review & Outlook for August 3, 2015 by Michael Groom, Financial Markets Economist of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and Ben Ayers, Staff Economist of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company

Weekly Review Fed policymakers were more optimistic about overall economic growth in the July Federal Open Market Committee statement . Little was revealed about the timing for policy tightening, however, anticipated by many economists (including us) to occur in September. While rates should almost certainly be hiked by early 2016, the exact timing of the first move will be highly data dependent - focused on the Fed’s dual mandate to achieve full employment within an environment of stable and low inflation. The latest data from the labor market suggest that the economy is approaching full employment, led by a rapidly falling unemployment rate, down to 5.3 percent in June. Also, weekly jobless claims hit the lowest level in over 40 years in mid-July. Further strong job growth in coming months (starting this week with July’s data) could convince the Fed that tightening is appropriate sooner rather than later. On the other hand, core inflation remains stable with few signs of a pickup. Wage inflation remains very modest. Twelve-month changes in average hourly earnings continue to hover around 2.0-2.5 percent, a tepid rate for an expansion. Furthermore, the Employment Cost Index surprised on the weak side in the second quarter, with the four-quarter growth rate falling back to 2.0 percent. The weakness of this report was shocking, and calls into question the accuracy of the latest data. The June reading on core personal consumption inflation showed a rise of only 0.1 percent - up by 1.3 percent from a year earlier and still below the Fed’s 2.0 percent goal. Weaker than expected real GDP growth in the second quarter added to the mixed messages from the economy. The initial estimate for the quarter was an annualized gain of 2.3 percent - better than the first quarter, but still not strong. While the regular three-year benchmark revisions to GDP raised growth for the first quarter into positive territory (barely), the first half of 2015 remains weaker than last year. For the entire period of this economic expansion, annualized real GDP growth was revised from 2.2 percent 2.1 percent - an insignificant move, and still historically slow. Weekly Outlook This is an eventful week for economic releases with July data for nonfarm payroll employment, light vehicle sales, and the Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) business surveys.

Job growth appears to have settled at around 220,000 per month in 2015, a sustainable pace for the labor market at this stage of an expansion. We expect a slightly faster jobs gain in July at 230,000. The unemployment rate should edge down to 5.2 percent in July to follow up the 0.2 percent decline from the previous month. Finally, average hourly earnings should show modest wage - growth rising by 0.2 percent to push up 12-month wage inflations to a still-tepid 2.2 percent.

The trend in light vehicle sales remains upward, driven by strong job growth, high replacement demand, and ample available credit. Sales are expected to pick up to an annualized pace of 17.2 million in July, near the highs of the current expansion. Personal income in June should rise by a moderate 0.4 percent given the improved trends in the labor market. After weaker retail sales in June, the expectations for monthly consumer spending are lower at 0.3 percent.

continued on page 17

www.njac.org page 16

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Nationwide Economics (continued)

The ISM business surveys suggest near-term growth for the private sector, indicating increased production output and employment. The ISM manufacturing index should climb for the third consecutive month in July to 54.1 - the highest level of the year. The ISM nonmanufacturing index should also match a year high in July at 56.9, suggesting moderate expansion for services.

For further information please contact Emanuel Mahand, Program Director 0f New Jersey, at MAHANDE@nationwide.com, or Bina Kumar, Managing Director - East Region, at kumarb1@nationwide.com.

SSSAVEAVEAVE THETHETHE DDDATEATEATE FORFORFOR UUUPCOMINGPCOMINGPCOMING EEEVENTSVENTSVENTS

NJAC BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ MEETING

Friday -September 25, 2015 9:30 a.m.

New Jersey State House Annex Building - Committee Room 4

125 West State Street

Trenton

NJ COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS’ CERTIFICATE PROGRAM

Friday - October 23rd & Friday - October 30th

8:30 a.m.

Rutgers University Center for Government Services

303 George Street - 6th Floor New Brunswick

NJAC YEAR END SUMMIT

Friday -December 18, 2015 9:00 a.m.

Trenton Country Club

201 Sullivan Way

West Trenton

NJAC COUNTY BIZ ISSUE 52 - AUGUST 2015

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Changing of the Guard - Clark Takes NACo Leadership Reins, Brooks Wins 2nd VP Office by Bev Schlotterbeck, Executive Editor for NACo

El Paso County, Colo. Commissioner Sallie Clark is NACo’s new president, elect-ed at the association’s annual conference July 13th. Joining Clark, as the newest member of the executive team, is Tarrant County, Texas Commissioner Roy Charles Brooks, who won the only contested race for NACo office. Other newly elected officers include First Vice President and Leon County, Florida Commissioner Bryan Desloge and Immediate Past President and Maui County, Hawaii Council Member Riki Hokama. Clark will focus on “Safe and Secure Counties” as her presidential initiative. “Safe and Secure Counties will demonstrate the importance of our counties, parishes and boroughs. It will showcase our current initiatives, policies and efforts on everything from emergency preparedness to jails and courts, infrastructure and transportation to public health. Through ‘Safe and Secure,’

we will build on the ‘Why Counties Matter’ message to our residents, to our states and to our nation,” she said during her inaugural remarks. More than 2,500 elected and appointed officials participated in NACo’s 2015 Annual Conference held in Mecklenburg County (Charlotte), North Carolina on July 10th–13th. They heard from Secretary of Defense Ash Carter and Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx and could participate in more than three dozen educational workshops that explored topics ranging from the pros and cons of body cameras in law enforcement, to how automated vehicles and mobile technology affect trans­portation patterns to legislative updates and new research findings for counties. Conference delegates also discussed federal policy and legislation on a wide range of key topics such as transportation and infrastructure; rural and urban development; energy, environ­ment and land use; public safety; emergency preparedness and response; housing and community development; health and other topics. They adopted more than a 100 policy resolutions, which will serve as NACo’s official policy positions — the American County Platform — for the next 12 months. Spotlighted the 2015 Best of Category Achievement Award winners. Americans for the Arts also presented its Public Leadership in the Arts Award to the Riverside County, California Board of Supervisors. In other award presentations at the conference: The presidential scholarship award winners were Luke Kikukawauke and Marc Austin Pader. The presidential scholarships, sponsored by David Davenport and CH2M Hill, are awarded to students from the outgoing NACo president’s county. This year’s conference also served as the stage for the official unveiling of NACo’s new brand, highlighted by a new logo, new website and new tagline, “Stronger Counties. Stronger America.” Also new at the conference were daily one-minute wrap-up videos produced by NACo’s digital team. Los Angeles County will host the 2016 Annual Conference in Long Beach, California, July 22nd –25th.

To learn more about the National Association of Counties (NACo) please visit our website at www.naco.org or contact our office at (202) 393-6226.

Sallie Clark NACo President

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FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

NJAC is in the process of reviewing the “Administrative Determinations by the Supreme Court on the Report and Recommendations of the Statewide Judiciary Security Committee” issued April 21, 2015 to ascertain the Report’s impact on county resources, and whether the Report imposes an unfunded mandate on local governing bodies struggling to make ends meet. NJAC will also consider filing a complaint with the State Council on Local Mandates established in 1996 pursuant to a constitutional amendment. The Council is responsible for resolving disputes on whether a law, rule, or regulation adopted after 1996 constitutes an unfunded mandate. In general, an unfunded mandate upon boards of education, municipalities, and counties is a law, rule, or regulation that

does not authorize resources, other than the property tax, to offset additional direct expenditures required to implement said law, rule or regulation. Please note that the following categories of laws, rules, or regulations are not considered unfunded mandates: (1) those which are required to comply with federal laws or rules or to meet eligibility standards for federal entitlements; (2) those which are imposed on both government and non-government entities in the same or substantially similar circumstance; (3) those which repeal, revise, or ease an existing requirement or mandate or which reapportion the costs of activities between boards of education, counties, and municipalities; (4) those which stem from failure to comply with previously enacted laws or rules or regulations issued pursuant to a law; and, (5) those which implement provisions of the Constitution. Upon initial review, NJAC is concerned that the Report will likely require counties to expend additional resources to implement its recommendations that would, in part, require an audit of all vicinage ancillary facilities, prohibit probation reporting in unsecured ancillary facilities, and require the presence of a uniformed/armed sheriff’s officer at all civil commitment hearings. NJAC’s board of directors will discuss this matter in more detail as an agenda item at its next meeting on September 25th as NJAC has standing to file complaint with the State Council on Local Mandates pursuant to a 2010 law. Please also make sure to check out our website www.njac.org for important details about the 2015 “New Jersey County Administrators Certificate Program,” where NJAC is once again partnering with the Rutgers University Center for Government Services to offer this unique professional development initiative. Subject matter experts from across the State will cover topics such as public procurement, management challenges, fiscal operations, and ethics. Courses will take place on October 23rd and October 30th at the Rutgers University Center for Government Services located at 303 George Street in New Brunswick. All successful program graduates will receive a certificate from Rutgers University verifying their completion of training.

John G. Donnadio, Esq.

BECOME A MEMBER OF THE

NEW JERSEY ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES Learn about the benefits of being a part of NJAC and how you can join.

Contact Loren Wizman, Business Development Director at

(609) 394-3467 or loren@njac.org Click here for an application.

NJAC COUNTY BIZ ISSUE 52 - AUGUST 2015

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«AUGUST 2015»

«SEPTEMBER 2015»

SAT SUN MON TUES WEDS THURS FRI

15

Summer Music Series 7:30 p.m.

Centennial Park

Wildwood

Cape May County

16

Maroon 5 4 p.m.

Atlantic City Beach

Atlantic City

Atlantic County

17

Monday Cruise Night

5 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Belvidere

Warren County

18

Summerfest 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. Liberty State Park

Jersey City

Hudson County

19 Hunterdon County

4-H &

Agricultural Fair 8/19 - 8/21

South Cty. Fairground

Lambertville

Hunterdon County

20 Salem Main Street

Concert Series

7 p.m. - 9 p.m. MLK Park

FREE

Salem City

Salem County

21

vs.

Atlanta Falcons 7:30 p.m.

MetLife Stadium

East Rutherford Bergen County

22

Summer Concert

Series

7 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Mercer County Park FREE

West Windsor

Mercer County

23 I Might Be Merman

2 p.m.

Broadway Theatre of

Pitman

Pitman

Gloucester County

24

25 Farm Stand

All Day

200 Federal Plaza

Paterson

Passaic County

26 Salute the Troops

7 p.m.

Six Flags Great

Adventure

Jackson

Ocean County

27

A Twist of Lemon

7 p.m.

Morris Museum

Morristown

Morris County

28 Atlantic

Championship Series

F2000, F1600 &

NARRA

8/28 - 8 /30

NJ Motorsports Park Millville

Cumberland County

29 Inaugural Waterfront

Summerfest

12 p.m. - 8 p.m. Wiggins Park

FREE

Camden Waterfront

Camden County

30 Rahway International

Film Festival

8/28 - 8/30 Hamilton Stage

Rahway

Union County

31

SAT SUN MON TUES WEDS THURS FRI

1

2

3

4 Jimmy Thackery &

The Drivers

6 p.m. The Stanhope House

Stanhope

Sussex County

5 11th Annual Pro/Am

Skim Bash Contest

8/5 - 8/6 Municipal Beach

FREE

Sea Bright

Monmouth County

6 10th Annual

Labor Day Concert

4 p.m. - 6 p.m. Roosevelt Park

FREE

Edison

Middlesex County

7

8

9

10

11

12

9 to 5: The Musical

8 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.

Somerset Valley Players Theatre

Hillsborough

Somerset County

13 South Mountain Int.

Blues Festival

11 a.m. - 8 p.m. South Mountain

Reservation

West Orange

Essex County

14

39th Annual Juried

Art Exhibit

803 Smithville Rd. FREE

Eastampton

Burlington County